Big, scary and absurdly powerful American cars are a hot topic at the moment, what with the recent reveals of the Dodge Challenger SRT Demon and the Camaro-based Hennessey Exorcist.
Now we have the freshly revealed Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk, a scary-looking and supercharged large SUV armed with a mighty V8 petrol engine.
The 6.2-litre V8 found under the bonnet of this Jeep is actually the same unit used in the similarly insane Dodge Demon. Power is sent through an eight-speed automatic gearbox that comes with launch control.
Fastest accelerating petrol-run SUV
In the Trackhawk, the V8 offers 707bhp and 841Nm of torque, leading to a 0-60mph sprint time of just 3.5 seconds. These stats cement the Trackhawk’s position as the most powerful and quickest accelerating petrol SUV to date. The electric Tesla Model X P100D is the only SUV that can outsprint this Jeep.
To put the Jeep’s 0-60mph sprint time in more perspective, it can outsprint numerous modern supercars including the Jaguar F-TYPE R Coupe and the Aston Martin DB11.
The Jeep also has a very high top speed of 180mph, although it’s not the highest of all SUVs as the Bentley Bentayga can hit 187mph.
As well as having a fiendishly clever and powerful powertrain set-up, the Trackhawk also has an aggressive bodykit to fit the mood and massive Brembo brakes to stop this fast and heavy SUV in short notice.
The interior features various premium features including Nappa leather and suede trim, an 8.4-inch infotainment touchscreen and active noise cancellation to benefit refinement.
For any moments when you don’t want this SUV to be full-on crazy, there is in fact a ‘Valet mode’ driving setting. This de-tunes the engine, disables launch control, prevents use of the shifter paddles and puts the electronic stability at max to transform the Trackhawk into a more every day, muted Jeep family car.
Jeep is set to launch the Grand Cherokee Trackhawk in the US this autumn. Numerous reports indicate that a final decision hasn’t been made yet as to whether the Trackhawk will officially come to the UK, but the chances of this happening look promising.
